We have no ghost teachers on payroll, Teachers service commission tells critics

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has clarified that there are no ghost teachers under its management, noting the total number of those registered on its payroll stands at 278,060.

In a statement to newsrooms, Commission Secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni said this was the true number of teachers as at this year.

He said 274,519 were on payroll as at September, this year. Of these, he said, some 2,032 teachers were currently on temporary detachment due to various factors.

“Some of these teachers are under interdiction, unpaid leave, prolonged sickness, or have been suspended over non-compliance and audit queries,” explained Lengoiboni. He noted there were some 3,541 vacancies after teachers fell off due to natural attrition.

“This has been as a result of retirement, contract expiry, transfer of services, resignation, death and dismissal,” he said, adding that these places are currently being filled.

This statement differs from that of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) that demanded a thorough audit of TSC’s total staff.

Knut national chairman Wilson Sossion said TSC has hired staff who do not render services to the public.  Knut estimates the number of teachers on the TSC payroll to be roughly 271,000.